Acoustic coupling assembly with retaining connector for noninvasive sensing of sampling chamber fluid

Abstract

A fluid sampling chamber assembly for noninvasive sensing of a fluid having a chamber with a sensor wall for acoustic coupling therewith, an apparatus for coupling a transducer of a transducer assembly with the sensor wall, a preapplied acoustic coupling agent and a relatively rigid connector member mounted to the chamber around the sensor wall with a portion around a probe access opening in retentive overlying relationship with the acoustic coupling agent to prevent run off of the coupling agent before use. A cover is releasibly attached to the connector for protectively covering the access opening and sensor location. The cover permits gaseous sterilization of the sensor wall because ribs carried by the releasible attaching means block the releasible attaching means from making a gaseous tight seal with the connector. Insertion of the sampling chamber into a sensor location of an electronic biological fluid monitoring apparatus is prevented by a member attached to the cover which is dimensioned to prevent, or block, receipt of the sampling chamber assembly within the sensor location if the protective cover is attached to the probe connector.

We claim: 
     
       1. In a fluid sampling chamber assembly for noninvasive sensing of the fluid having a chamber with a sensor wall arrangement for acoustic coupling therewith, apparatus for coupling a transducer of a transducer assembly with each sensor wall of said sensor wall arrangement, comprising: means located adjacent the sensor wall for enhancing good acoustic coupling of the sensor wall with the transducer;   a relatively rigid connector member mounted to the chamber around the sensor wall, said connector member having an access opening means for coupling engagement therethrough of the transducer with the sensor wall; and   an annular portion of the access opening means being in retentive overlying relationship with said acoustic coupling enhancing means;   said acoustic coupling enhancing means including a fluid like coupling agent for eliminating air gaps;   said transducer assembly supporting said sampling chamber by each of said connector members when said transducer assembly is received within said access opening.   
     
     
       2. The fluid sampling chamber assembly of claim 1 in which said acoustic coupling enhancing means includes a thin member overlying the sensor wall for maintaining an even distribution of the coupling agent over the sensor wall. 
     
     
       3. The fluid sampling chamber assembly of claim 2 in which said thin member is flexible, and said retentive portion blocks the thin member from passing though the access opening means.   
     
     
       4. The fluid sampling chamber assembly of claim 1 in which said connector member has means for guiding the transducer assembly into the access opening means. 
     
     
       5. The fluid sampling chamber of claim 1 in which said portion around the access opening means is spaced from said sensor wall. 
     
     
       6. The fluid sampling chamber assembly of claim 1 in which: said connector memeber has a guide means for engaging a forward portion of a tip of the transducer assembly to center the access opening means relative thereto.   
     
     
       7. The fluid sampling chamber assembly of claim 1 in which the sensor wall resiliently conforms to the shape of the forward portion of the transducer when pressed thereagainst. 
     
     
       8. The fluid sampling chamber assembly of claim 1 in which said chamber has a relatively rigid wall with a sensor opening therein, and said connector member includes means to fasten a relatively flexible sensor wall to cover said opening.   
     
     
       9. In a fluid sampling chamber assembly for noninvasive sensing of the fluid having a chamber with a sensor wall arrangement for acoustic coupling therewith, apparatus for coupling a transducer of a transducer assembly with each sensor wall of said sensor wall arrangement, comprising: means located adjacent the sensor wall for enhancing good acoustic coupling of the sensor wall with the transducer;   a relatively rigid connector member mounted to the chamber around the sensor wall, said connector member having an access opening means for coupling engagement therethrough of the transducer with the sensor wall;   an annular portion of the access opening means being in retentive overlying relationship with said acoustic coupling enhancing means;   said acoustic coupling enhancing means including fluid like coupling agent for eliminating air gaps;   said sampling chamber assembly having a second sensor wall opposite the first mentioned sensor wall and a second connector member substantially identical to the first mentioned connector member associated therewith; and   said sampling chamber being supported between two transducer assemblies where they are respectively received within the access opening means thereof.   
     
     
       10. In a fluid sampling chamber assembly for noninvasive sensing of the fluid having a chamber with a sensor wall arrangement for acoustic coupling therewith, apparatus for coupling a transducer of a transducer assembly with each sensor wall of said sensor wall arrangement, comprising: means located adjacent the sensor wall for enhancing good acoustic coupling of the sensor wall with the transducer;   a relatively rigid connector member mounted to the chamber around the sensor wall, said connector member having an access opening means for coupling engagement therethrough of the transducer with the sensor wall;   an annular portion of the access opening means being in retentive overlying relationship with said acoustic coupling enhancing means;   said acoustic coupling enhancing means including a fluid-like coupling agent for eliminating air gaps; and   said retentive portion of said connector member retaining any excess of said fluid coupling agent from flowing out away from adjacency to the sensor wall.   
     
     
       11. In a sensing chamber assembly having a sampling chamber with an access opening opposite a sensing location for receipt of a sensor probe therethrough for engagement with the sensing location, a cap assembly for protecting the sensing location, comprising: a cover means for protectively covering the access opening;   means for releasably attaching the cover means to the connector member; and   means for providing gaseous access to the sensing location for sterilization when the cover is attached.   
     
     
       12. The sensing chamber of claim 11 in which said gaseous access providing means includes means carried by the releasable attaching means for blocking the releasable attaching means from making a gaseous tight seal with the connector member. 
     
     
       13. In an electronic biological fluid output monitoring apparatus having a sensor location for receipt of a sampling chamber assembly, said sampling chamber assembly having a first sensor probe connector, the improvement comprising: a protective cover means for the first sensor probe connector; and   a member means attached to the cover means for preventing receipt of the sampling chamber assembly within the sensor location when the protective cover is attached to the first sensor probe connector.   
     
     
       14. The sampling chamber assembly of claim 13 including a second probe connector member spaced in opposition from said first sensor probe connector member; a second protective cover means for the second probe connector member;   a second receipt preventing member means substantially attached to said second protective cover means, the attachment of either one of the cover means with attached receipt preventing member means preventing insertion of the chamber into said sensor location.   
     
     
       15. The sampling chamber of claim 13 in which the receipt preventing member is dimensioned to block insertion of the sampling chamber assembly into the sensor location when the cover means is attached to the connector member.